Access Issues.

[sandishere64]

HELP!

I am part of a group (20 employees) that use the same Access database on a
dailey bases. Everything we do goes in this database. For about the last 2
months, our access locks us out and shows at the bottom of the screen
"Updating Tables" and of course we see the blue wheel spinning!! I have
questioned the higer-ups about this and was told that it is the system and
there is nothing that can be done about it.

Is this true? Does Access just continually update tables all day?

Isnt there some way we could set a certain time for the tables to update?
Hopefully when we all go home for the night?

Also what about mirror Access databases?

Can you make mirror access databases, and then inport the new information
while others are trying to work in the database? Does this hurt the integrety
of the origional database? Would this be causing our problems??

Please anything you can tell me about Access would be appriciated.

V/R

Sandra
Please help.

 

[Steve Schapel]

Sandra,

No, this stuff about updating tables doesn't seem to make sense.

The first thing to clarify is the application configuration. Does each of
the 20 people have their own separate copy of the application file on their
local workstation, and linking to the common backend data file on a share or
server? If not, then this must be done.

 

[sandishere64]

Steve,

Only about 6 of the 20 people have a mirror version of the Access database
which is not housed in their local workstation. These versions are housed on
the same server as our main Access Database just in a sub folder.

Once a week, one of the supervisors, accesses these mirror databases and
imports the information from them into the main Access database that I use.

The other 14 people also use the main Access database, we are not allowed to
use the sub folders.

The main Access database (mine and 13 other people) constantly show
"Updating Tables" I was told by the higher-ups that the problem (constant
show of this) was because we needed a bigger server. Supposibly the databases
were moved to one. The problem still exsits......

I was just told that sharepoint was tried (I do not know what sharepoint is,
but I am going to research it too), but it would not work for us.

Where does access receive its command to update all these tables? Can we
input data in a table and set a perimiter for a later time for the system to
update these tables? Like when we are at home sleeping?

Thank you for your help.

V/R

Sandra

 

[Steve Schapel]

Sandra,

I understand. Really you have just repeated pretty much your original
question, and not responded to my reply.

Who is in charge of the design and deployment of this application? It is
set up incorrectly, I mean seriuosly worng, and will inevitably cause
problems. It isn't going to work to try and fine-tune an incorrectly set up
application. The first step is to "bite the bullet" as they say, and
configure the application correctly for a multi-user environment. A bigger
server won't help either.

The good news is that it is pretty easy to manage.

The database *must be* split into 2 files. This is easy gto do. One file
contains the data tables. This we call the Backend. The other file
contains the other database objects (forms, reports, queries). This we call
the Frontend. The Frontend links to the Backend tables. This is easy to
do. There is only one copy of the Backend, and it sits on the server.
Every user has their own copy of the Frontend. Simple as that. Drop the
mirrors idea, that's just silly.

Ok, so get that sorted out, and then we'll see if there are still any
problems. Ok?